• Erice: Set high upon a rocky crag dominating western Sicily, this medieval village seems like a place that time forgot. Give yourself 4 hours to make your way around this enchanting city, visiting the recently reopened Castle of Venus, the neighboring Torre Pepoli, and the beautiful gardens of the Baglio Pepoli. As you head toward Porta Trapani, you'll encounter breathtaking views stretching out over land and sea.
  • The Kalsa and the Albergheria, Palermo: Zigzagging through these two neighborhoods, the oldest quarters of the city, you'll find treasure troves of their unique past, offering remnants of all foreigners and civilizations that found a home here. Medieval and baroque palazzi and churches line the streets, and every corner you turn is steeped in history -- and laundry hanging out the windows. Some of the streets are signposted in three languages, Italian, Hebrew, and Arabic, to highlight where their communities once stood in this multilingual, multicultural city.
  • Ragusa Ibla: The old part of the city has some of the most amazing panoramas in southeastern Sicily and quaint little corners that can only be explored on foot. Start from the cathedral, and make your way east (bypassing a series of elaborate baroque buildings in need of repair) to the Giardini Iblei, at the tip of the city, for some respite.
  • Salt Marshes: Enclosed between Trapani and Marsala is a protected area that will bring you back hundreds of years to show you how salt was harvested, using centuries-old windmills. While the whole stretch down to Marsala is rather long, you can start from Trapani and finish the 1-hour walk at Nubia, along a coastal road, and stop in to visit the Museo del Sale (Salt Museum).
  • Taormina: It may sound like a cliché, but when you're at the main tourist hotspot you might as well go with the flow. In its defense, the walk that starts from the public gardens and heads west toward the cathedral offers one of the most dramatic panoramas in the world, overlooking the bay of Naxos and a smoking Etna in the distance.
  • Valley of the Temples: By far the most impressive of walks, it takes under 2 hours to traverse the best-preserved ruins outside Greece in a valley laden with almond trees overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The best times to go: Early in the morning, as the sun rises in the east; late afternoon, when the sandstone temples have a spectacular auburn hue; and at night, when the temples are floodlit.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.